Sunday, May 19, 2013

Nehalem Bay State Park, OR

We lazed into the first actual day of the trip, climbing the Astoria Column and flying gliders off the top. That, I suspect, will be my only glider experience on the trip. We made a wise decision not to try to pack a sailplane, even one like the Alula, that breaks down into a relatively small package. By the time I had finished packing, my bags weighed something like 85 pounds! I think I overpacked.

The baptism

It was 11:00 before I departed. We couldn't find a convenient and scenic spot to dip a wheel, so I walked down to the river for a handful of estuarial water and baptized my handlebar bag. De drove back to a cycle shop to pick up a rearview mirror and water bottle - items I had forgotten to pack - and then drove back to find me along the route. We had lunch - leftovers from the night before - and then went our separate ways: she home to the humdrum callings of job and family, I forward on my big adventure.

The riding was relatively easy the first day. I think they do that just to give you a false sense of security. I cruised along the Lewis and Clark River and past many markers commemorating Lewis and Clark, on through the towns of Seaside, Cannon Beach, and Manzanita. Yes, there are cannons at Cannon Beach, from the wreck of a ship in the mid-19th century. Once the route joined coastal Highway 101, it became quite a bit more hilly, rising to surmount the headlands that jutted out into the ocean and then falling back down to water level. One such headland was thoughtfully provided with a tunnel - a rather unpleasant experience for cyclists, as the tunnel amplified the vehicle noise to an unbelievable extent, and the shoulder was practically nonexistent. But biker-activated flashing lights provided at least a semblance of safety.

The Oregon coast

The campground at Nehalem Bay State Park has a biker/hiker area, and three other groups were there: two single guys and a family from Utah, all of whom were out to see a little of the coast. One of the guys, Dave, was about my age, and from Idaho, a semi-retired tour guide and home contractor. He had driven to Astoria to help maintain his sister's B&B, Clementine's, in Astoria. We spent a pleasant evening together around the campfire.

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Map Notes

Unfortunately, the mobile version of Blogger does not permit the placement of photos within the text, nor titling of the photos. You will just have to guess which photos go with what text.

You can see a Google Maps route map associated with a daily post by clicking on the first link (up there in the from-to text). However, note that Google Maps on Android does not permit the customization of maps, so these maps do not reflect the route I actually took: they show only what Google Maps thinks is an appropriate bike route between the starting and ending spots.

The real routes are provided in the TransAmerica Trail maps published by the Adventure Cycling Association, information from which is used here by their kind permission. You can, of course, use these Google Maps as a starting point for planning your own trip. But keep in mind that the Google Maps routes do not always coincide with the TransAmerica Trail maps, and of course do not show all the extras that are included on those maps. I strongly recommend that you purchase the Adventure Cycling maps. They contain much more detailed information about the routes, and include history, points of interest, lodging/camping information, and emergency contacts for the areas through which you will be passing.

About Me

After forty years bustin' my butt as a computer programmer, I up and quit. What comes after retirement? Read my blogs and find out.
Note that, unless you know me personally, they will bore you silly. And if you do know me personally, it won't be much better.